Saturday, April 30, 2011

TINIAN — Long Beach located south of Blow Hole is one of the prime destinations here, but there is more to it than meets the eye.

Easily
accessible, Long Beach, or Unai Dankulo, is true to its name and is
long stretch of white, sandy beach and crystal clear waters gently
lapping on the shore.

But there is a “secret” behind the huge
rocks and cliffs that border one end of the beach. My buddies Barnard,
Susan and Edwin guided me to this secret spot on a leisurely tour one
Sunday some weeks back. Picking our way gingerly among the rocks and
avoiding getting wet from the splashing of the waves was no easy feat.
Soon, we arrived at a huge cliff and I raised my eyebrows as we were
obviously facing a dead end. Barnard then squatted and pointed to a very
small opening at the bottom of the cliff.

We followed him as he started crawling
through the very tight crevice. It was not big enough so we really had
to crawl on our stomachs for a distance of about eight feet or so.
Fighting my fear of enclosed places, I crawled on, hugging my camera
with one arm and groping my way with the other.

Soon, we emerged into the open. I caught my breath and gaped at the scenic hideaway that met my eyes.

Nestled amid pockets of sand between
rocky cliffs and coral shelves was a private cove with fine white sand.
Just perfect if you want to get away from it all.

Crawling to the specific spot is the only
way to get there, unless you want to brave the rough and treacherous
waves and the sharp and slippery stones at the coral edge.

A huge hollow space with soft, fine sand
beneath a large rock formation provides shelter for anyone who wants to
just sit there and while the time away.

Tinian is not only rich in history. For
the adventurous, the island has a hundred and one more special spots
just waiting to be discovered.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

THERE is no other spot on Saipan that
provides a spectacular view of the sun rising each morning and setting
each night than the peak of Mt. Tapochao, situated at 1,535 feet above
sea level.

Time
and again, we see wonderful photos posted online portraying sunsets
and sunrises taken on Mt. Tapochao, but getting up there to capture
these wonders requires a four-wheel drive or an all-terrain vehicle,
stamina and endurance if you want to walk, guts for the not-so-daring
and those who are afraid of heights, warm clothing to ward off the cold
if you want to capture the sunset or explore the place at night, and
effort and commitment to get up real early to see the sunrise.

This may sound too challenging, but when
you get to the top, your efforts will be worth it. Mt. Tapochao is the
only spot on Saipan that offers an exhilarating, spectacular 360-degree
panoramic view of the whole island.

A few yards away from the cross are
markers narrating how Mt. Tapochao used to be the spot where the
Japanese troops fired at American forces during the war.

Today is not just another regular day on
Tapochao as hundreds of Roman Catholic devotees make the annual trek to
the top of Saipan’s highest spot in observance of Good Friday.

Not everybody who joins the annual trek
is a devotee. Some are just curious observers, or friends and family
members who tag along. Others go up there to represent different
organizations and distribute food and drinks to the “pilgrims.”

Take time out of your daily routine to
take a whiff of fresh and cool mountain air as you make the trek to Mt.
Tapochao today for whatever reason. It could be for religious or just to
enjoy nature. And oh, a spectacular sunrise — hopefully if it doesn’t
rain.

Friday, April 1, 2011

TINIAN — A huge old gate
standing in front of two old flame trees caught my attention when we
went driving on the north field of this island one Sunday afternoon a
few weeks back.

My
companion, Tinian’s hot pepper entrepreneur Susan, drove fast on the
rough and dusty road but willingly backed up the car when I asked if we
could check the place out.

I’ve driven around Tinian’s North Field
several in the past in a rented car and visited the more popular spots,
but that Sunday was different because I was with buddies who are Tinian
residents. Gone was the usual apprehension and hesitancy to explore new
and strange nooks that I always experienced in the past because I felt
that I was with people who knew the place well.

Entering the clearance from the main
gate, we came upon another torii Shinto gate and several other smaller
shrines on both sides of the inner gate.

The Shinto Shrine gets a fair share of
tourists, especially Japanese, every day. We passed by a couple of cars
parked earlier but they had already left when we arrived and we had the
place to ourselves.

We gingerly approached the place and felt
that it was almost a sin to intrude and step on the hallowed grounds.
Save for the chirping of some birds and other insects and the clicking
of our shutters, the place was silent.

According to the barely readable
information printed on a marker, the NKK Shinto Shrine was built next to
a spur of the sugar railroad and its name suggests that it was built by
the Nanyo Kohatsu Kaisha or NKK of the South Seas Development company
in 1941.

From the marker, we also learned that the
Japanese development on Tinian started sometime in 1926 when the NKK
expanded its operations from Saipan. In 10 years time, about 80 percent
of the island of Tinian was cultivating sugarcane. Tinian also embraced
Japanese citizens and Japanese culture that time.

It was hard to imagine that once upon a
time seven decades ago, ceremonial rites were regularly held on the very
grounds where we were standing.

We were reluctant to leave but the sun was already dipping low on the horizon. I didn’t fancy staying after dark in the place.

We left the area with a certain
connection to the past, rich with experiences. If you haven’t explored
Tinian yet, you’re missing a lot. The island is filled with historical
sites and scenic spots worth visiting.